The new Cat Litter Pod described in this specification is an apparatus that is designed to easily and quickly provide access to a litter device for pets.
A. Introduction of the Problems Addressed
Cat litter devices have traditionally been focused on combinations of an impervious liner and an open tray of granules. These were used in concert with a permanent or disposable container. Disposability and convenience was often the purpose as is shown below in the teachings of the prior art. However, most litter devices leave an untidy clean-up for the pet owner.
Little has been accomplished to eliminate the cumbersome container or to provide a low profile litter device. This is particularly important to older or infirm cats that have problems with limited mobility. The instant apparatus presented here is cat litter “pod”. The litter pod is configured and has features to permit a pet owner to have a low profile, disposable litter device that is convenient, clean and has several methods of utilization. Other prior art does not suggest or disclose the features of the Cat Litter Pod.
B. Prior Art
Animal litter devices have been featured in an increasingly frequent number of patents since the 1950's. Some devices have attempted to improve upon litter devices for parts of the problems as stated. In use, the prior art devices were often untidy and messy to use as well as limited in use. The new Cat Litter Pod addresses these limitations and provides a solution to the stated problems.
Examples of prior apparatus for liquid absorption begin with U.S. Pat. No. 3,284,273 issued to Prentice (1966). This teaches an absorbent pad for use as a floor covering to absorb dripped or spilled liquids, and generally provides spaced-apart upper and lower layers within which is contained a liquid-retaining material which may be a sheet material or a granular material such as grains of absorbent clay. At least the upper layer is made of a liquid-permeable material, such as felt, so that liquids impinging thereon will pass therethrough and be absorbed by the intermediate liquid-retaining layer. The patent discloses that the lower layer may be lined with a liquid barrier material.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,818 issued to Heldenbrand (1986) discloses a litter container containing a body of litter within a container of waterproof material and enclosed by an outer wrapper which may be opened to expose the open-top, substantially rectangular container for use. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,046 issued to Gallagher (1979) discloses an absorptive and protective underpad for human patients utilizing a top cushioning layer which is perforated to admit liquids therethrough and a lower absorbent layer which will permit liquid flow into the absorbent layer and reduce to a minimum the generation and release of offensive odors from the absorbent layer.
One difficulty with many of the prior art animal litter devices, which utilize particulate litter material, is that the deposit of waste material tends to cause the litter to become foul-smelling and prompts the replacement of the entire box of litter after only limited use. To overcome this problem, in lieu of particulate litter material, U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,834 issued to Cheselka (1981) teaches layers of absorbent fabric-like material which may be individually removed to expose fresh layers beneath.
Another litter device patent is U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,787 issued to Wellman (1981). It discloses a plurality of self-contained, disposable feline litter boxes housed in stacked relation within a container. Each litter box includes a removable top cover to expose the litter material contained within respective boxes. As each litter box is soiled, it may be removed from the container and disposed of, thereby exposing the next one for use.
Many of these devices usually provide a hard, perforated platform on which the animal stands. Not only do such devices fail to adequately accommodate solid waste, but domestic animals such as cats are disinclined to use such litter boxes as they instinctively desire to cover up their waste and therefore favor litter boxes containing particulate material which they can paw to cover the deposited waste.
Other prior art litter box solutions propose various assemblies of parts including, Sweeney, U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,315 (1985) which discloses an assembly wherein nonabsorbent granules are layered over an absorbent layer. A combination liner bag and litter assembly is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,374 issued to Sides (1989). It provides for opening the bag and exposing the granules to the felines.
Another patent, issued Yananton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,204 (1989) discloses a three part assembly consisting of a screen to prevent tearing, an absorbent pad, and an impermeable plastic lining all of which is covered by a layer of granular litter. An animal litter package is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,930 issued to Kasbo (1996) which shows a non-woven web film over granules that is broken open to expose the granules.
While many additional patents could be cited regarding other variations of assemblies, none of these prior art solutions address the problems of either the portability or the scattering of pellitized litter and/or have not been commercially successful because they are too complex and costly, and require the maintenance and cleaning of the various component parts. None of the prior art teaches all the features and capabilities of the Cat Litter Pod.